Artell: "Soft Goals Cost Us In The Second Half"

21 January 2017

David Artell gives us his post-match reaction from Keepmoat Stadium

"We have come to the top of the league and had some chances but we didn't embrace the challenge of defending and we have got to get better at that. They should be standing up to it better and say bring it on and enjoy the challenge that comes with defending."

"We have got to improve or it is going to be a long season and I won't be standing here over the next 20 games saying the same things over and over again. It has got to change and we have got to see it through.

"We didn't keep the ball well enough and the first signs of real pressure we showed that we are a bit fragile again. We have conceded two soft goals and it has cost us again. It was criminal defending from us and we have got to do a lot better. What we do in both boxes is crucial and we didn't do well enough again.

Following the loss, Artell told crewealex.net: "We came in at the break and should have been 3-1 up with the chances we had. I thought we were the better side in the second half of the first half but we didn't take them. Jordan had a one on one which was saved and Jonah also had one tipped over. We came in with great optimism at the break but it was the same story as last week.

Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell spoke to the club's official web-site following his side's 3-1 defeat at the Keepmoat Stadium. The Alex actually had some good chances to turn the game onto a different path, but there is no denying that this Doncaster Rovers side are a cut above at this level.